[ADEQ Media] ADEQ Program to Help Schools with Underground Storage Tanks Wins Award for Environmental Achievement from EPA

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ Program to Help Schools with Underground Storage Tanks Wins Award
for Environmental Achievement from EPA

PHOENIX (April 17, 2008) - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Director Steve Owens announced today that ADEQ's initiative to clean up
contamination from leaking Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) on school
property and prevent future leaks from USTs has won a 2008 Environmental
Achievement Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
Region 9. 

ADEQ's program was selected from more than 130 nominated programs of
groups and individuals, including teachers, businesses, Indian tribes
and environmental activists.

The award, for outstanding contributions to environmental protection,
recognizes programs that address environmental needs, emphasize
collaboration, and can be widely replicated.

"We launched our school UST program last year as a unique partnership
with schools and school districts throughout the state to clean up
contamination on school properties caused by leaking underground storage
tanks, as well as to help schools prevent future leaks from tanks on
their property," Director Owens said.  "It is helping to protect the
environment, and is saving schools across Arizona a lot of money."  

The program is a joint effort by ADEQ's Children's Environmental Health
program and the department's Tank Programs Division.  ADEQ is using
money from the State Assurance Fund (SAF), which is the state's UST
remediation fund, to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater at
school facilities.  ADEQ also provides technical assistance to schools
and school districts to ensure that USTs owned and operated by the
schools and districts are properly maintained in accordance with the law
to prevent future leakage.  

ADEQ met on-site with officials and maintenance personnel at the 46
schools with active USTs and the 17 schools across the state with
leaking USTs. Since inception of the program, compliance rates at the
schools with active USTs have improved noticeably and no new leaks have
been discovered. 

"On behalf of our partners, we are pleased that our program is being
recognized by EPA," Owens said. "We hope that it will indeed be adopted
by environmental agencies across the country." 

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

**********************************************************************
NOTICE: This e-mail (and any attachments) may contain PRIVILEGED OR 
CONFIDENTIAL information and is intended only for the use of the specific 
individual(s) to whom it is addressed.  It may contain information that is 
privileged and confidential under state and federal law.  This information 
may be used or disclosed only in accordance with law, and you may be 
subject to penalties under law for improper use or further disclosure of the 
information in this e-mail and its attachments. If you have received this e-
mail in error, please immediately notify the person named above by reply e-
mail, and then delete the original e-mail.  Thank you.